Dont forget! For those of you who are joining in on the current Wordshaker reading of The Wife’s Tale, we are going live with our posts and conversation on October 6th! It’s not too late to join in. There will be an authors chat and a BIG GIVEAWAY with signed additions to Lori Lanssen’s books. Those who are doing the read-a-long with me and linking their reviews on the 6th will receive an extra entry in the giveaway.
Stay tuned!
I am so proud of my book club. If you have been reading this blog for any amount of time you probably know that. Most of us have been together in this group for the past 7 or 8 years. A few of us, have been there the entire time – it will be 10 years of Bookies in August. That’s 120 book club meetings. That’s 120 book club book choices and 120 book club books read.
Every July we have a free read month. July is so busy in Minnesota, the weather is finally pretty reliable, people have weddings, and family gatherings, weekends at the lake, camping, fishing. grilling…. anyway, we do not have a mandatory read in July. Just read what you want and share at the event. And so, that being said, here is what The Bookies read and recommend :
We ate and laughed and talked books. What to read, what to skip…. We talked movies and summer plans. And we sat ina beautiful yard just enjoying the company.
Another great year and event – we crowned our new Queen Lori (see that picture in my morning post -it’s awesome!).
Word shakers on-line book club is back on. The plan – a book will be announced here every six weeks. There will be a sign up form if you are interested in taking a part in the discussion that will go along with the book. Questions will be emailed out to the participants to answer and email back. Parts of the responses may be used in the post of the book review, as well as a Linky set up to link all your reviews too. *You do not have to be a blogger to participate in this book club.
If you have already read the book you are still welcome to join in. A six-week window will be given for each book to give participants enough time to secure the book and read it. If you would like to be included in a mailing group that will be notified each time a new read is announced, leave me a comment below saying so and I will add you to the group. (*You do not need to post your email, I receive it with every comment)
Where did word shakers come from? I read a lovely book called The book Thief, and if you have not read it I highly recommend it. There is a part in the book when one of the characters writes a story involving a word shaker. The whole story is beautiful, and if you have the opportunity to read even the word shaker part of the book it is pages 445-450. The part that touches me deeply is:
THE BEST word shakers were the ones who understood the true power of words. They were the ones who could climb the highest . One such word shaker was a small, skinny girl. She was renowned as the best word shaker of her region because she knew how powerless a person could be without words.
I think this one touches me so because I am a word lover, much like many of you, and therefore – we are all word shakers.
Join me for this months read: The Wife’s Tale by Lori Lansens
Use the form here to sign up for this read:
Reviews will be posted by: October 6,2010
Other On line book clubs I am aware of: (if you know of others, let me know and I will gladly add the link here)
With A Good Book: TBA
It starts with a package from UPS that arrives at Katherine Givens door. The timing is impeccable, Katherine’s favorite bra has finally after much use, developed a hole that is unrepairable. That’s just great. What else could go wrong? And why does a bra seem to bug Katherine so much???
Katherine opens the box and sees the unmistakable, always recognizable, red high tops of her friend Annie.
Annie.
Annie, Katherine’s oldest and dearest friend who touched the lives of so many. But Annie had died, and inside the shoes are Annie’s ashes and a note – that’s about to change everything – because in typical Annie style, Annie has one final request….
and she needs her best friends to be the “pallbearers.”
♥
I was drawn to this book as I always am to books on strong friendships. And a book on a friendship so strong that it even breaks down the barriers of death? Count me in on that read.
Katherine’s task (beyond purchasing a new bra), is to call the women that Annie has requested to gather in her name and take her ashes to the places she has mapped out for them. Everything is paid for, all the flights, hotels, food…. all they have to do is show up.
I loved the idea of this book. What a fun way to celebrate a life, and Annie did have a life as these women, who have never met before embark on this journey. It is a book about friendships – new and old, it is a book about healing, and a book about remembering. As the women travel to the places Annie has mapped out, not only do they learn a little bit more about who Annie was, but also about themselves.
The book…. had great potential. I imagined it would take me on a journey of friendships, the joyful parts, and the bitter-sweet. In parts, it did just that, but in other ways it missed the mark. Parts of the book were just too over the top for me. At times I just had to stop and think that the author had went too far and made some of the trip to unbelievable. I found this unfortunate because the idea behind the book is wonderful.
BOOKIES Review:
This book was also our book club read for June. For the most part, the girls agreed with what I mentioned above. For different reasons, most of us found something in the book that just went a bit too far.
There is a character in the book that is introduced mid way through the book and many of us felt that was an odd choice for the author, but on the other hand, maybe what was trying to be represented was an openness and grace that Annie would herself had extended had she been there.
On a scale of 1 – 5 (5 being the greatest), the Bookies as a whole rated this book a 2.5.
This book has been added to my Book Journey map (later today)
Amazon rating (coming soon)
Cover Story: The cover is truly eye-catching and draws you in wanting to know more.
I purchased this book from Amazon
Book Journey traveled to: Delmarva Peninsula, Cape Charles
When in Cape Charles, the place to be is the Cape Charles Coffee House
241 Pages
Cover Story: It fits, although one of the girls in my book club pointed out that our main character Melody never used a suitcase…
After 20 years in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC) and eight aliases, Melody Grace McCartney hardly knows who she is. On the run since she and her parents stumbled on a gruesome murder by mobster Tony Bovaro when she was six years old, Grace saw WITSEC’s promised protection fail her mother and father when they were killed 12 years later. Now she feigns personal danger to be relocated just because she’s bored and wants a change. But before her new case officer can move her from suburban Maryland to rural Wisconsin, Tony’s son, Jonathan, tracks her down to present an alternative: protection from his family and a life of more safety and freedom than she has ever known. While federal officials pressure her to stay in WITSEC and show her Jonathan’s violent side, her attraction to him grows, and she must decide a course for the rest of her life.
As this book opens, Melody is bored with her current life as Sandra Clarke. Having spent 20 years being tossed through the Witness protection program from place to place and name to name. Melody has made no connections in her current surroundings and calls the agent in charge of her case with a claim that someone has identified her and she needs to be moved again.
Turns out – Melody really does have someone from the mafia following her and this is where this fast paced book gets interesting. Between Sean the good-looking Witness Protection Agent and the mysteriously handsome Johnathan who is the son of the mafia family who wants her dead, Melody learns how to grow up fast.
The book is a fun light read. I personally never really warmed up to Melody. Time and again she causes others to be put in dangerous situations including the role she even plays in the death of her parents. (My book club was easier on her character than I was).
Overall I enjoyed this book.
This was our book club read for May. The Bookies for the most part enjoyed the book. We had a potluck at my house around the foods that were in the book which made for a delicious variety of Italian treats. We discussed the witness protection program and how far it has come.
The group had more sympathy for Melody than I did. I found her actions to be annoying and childish. While many in the group found her to be a victim of circumstance. By the end of the book we all agreed that Melody was on her way to being a better and more secure adult.
In a suitcase I had everyone drop in their new witness protection name and where they would be located. Then we drew them out and guessed who was who. There were some great ideas in there. Amy in our group had found a website that generated mafia names and that was interesting too.
I received my copy of this book from Hachette Book Group
We had our first book club meeting of the year last night and that also means we recapped 2009. Every December we do a survey on our picks from the year and then I put all of our reviews into a book format that everyone receives a copy of and in this book, I reveal the winners – and losers- of 2009 per their voting.
Now… I can share the results with you:
First of all here are the books we read as a book club in 2009
(all questions on the survey were to be answered by using these books)
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
Such a pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
The Book Thief By Marcus Zusak
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
Walking In Circles Before Lying Down by Merill Markoe
Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfork Cross
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty White
Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Home For The Holidays by Rebecca Kelly
And here are the survey results:
Favorite Female Character: Pope Joan
Favorite Male Character: Jacob from Water for Elephants *(with an honorable mention to Pope Joan)
Best new (to us) author: Sara Gruen (Water For Elephants)
Best Over All Author (new or old): Donna Woolfolk Cross/ Sara Gruen
Walking In Circles Before Lying Down
There it is! We had a great recap meeting… laughed as always at our funny memories of the year (Dressing in Prom Dresses in a storm for our Queen Event, sharing our Christmas traditions, two of our members dressing in clown atire for the review of Water For Elephants…)
*The votes are based on the opinions of the 18 girls in the Bookies Book Club. Majority votes won.
A book I thought was going to just be sweet and “Christmasy” – turned out to have a deeper purpose for our book club. ~ Sheila
Its a story of Christmas really. Set in a small town called Acorn Hill, where three sisters own a place called Grace Chapel Inn. When the sisters decide to take a break over the Christmas season and not take any guests so they can enjoy the holidays with each other, our story really begins…
First it starts when a group of tourists find themselves without a tour leader and the sisters decide they will help these people out by showing them around their town. They travel through the towns beautiful Victorian homes seeing traditional pieces and collections (see pictures below). Then it continues when a snowstorm leaves the group stranded and Chapel Inn becomes a place of refuge for those who can not continue on their way. The quiet Christmas the sisters were planning is soon evaporated into the cold winter air.
Reading this for book club, I found the book just incredibly sweet as seems to be the theme of Christmas reads. I was a bit dissapointed that the plot did not seem to be stronger and I never developed a real feel for the characters – which is always a plus to be in a book. I like to connect. I walked into book club having not finished the read and a little anxious on how we were going to pull a good discussion out of this book.
I should never doubt the power of The Bookies. 🙂
Like a Christmas miracle I watched my beloved group of fellow Bookies grab on to this book and found ourselves in the middle of a fantastic discussion of Christmas traditions. Just like what happened in the book, we found a common ground within the traditions and it was just enjoying to hear what things we hold on to year to year – either handed down from generations, or started anew with their own family. I found myself taking notes rapidly, and ended with a deeper appreciation and understanding of this group.
When Angie (my long term partner in crime who has been with the Bookies with me since Aug. 2001) brought out pictures of things discussed in the book so we could understand the Victorian culture more, it was truly the icing on the cake.
Overall, the Bookies rated this book an average to a slightly below average read. The review however – was top notch and for going in with no idea what we were going to discuss…. I left with a really good feeling and over the next two days – finished the book so I too could share in all that it had to offer.
Author Rebecca Kelly wrote her first book at age thirteen and hasn’t stopped writing since. When she’s not writing or being a mom, Rebecca volunteers weekly at an animal shelter, creates comfortable quilts that are distributed to children hospitalized for cance treatment and teaches creative writing to local public school students. Rebecca was recently honored by the United States Air Force for her efforts over the last six years in sending books and other reading material every month to soldiers serving in Iraq.
What I found interesting about this series, Tales From Grace Chapel Inn (this is book #6) is that each book, while focused around Acorn Hill and the Inn, each book is written by a different author. I think that is awesome as guests to the Inn would be of all different walks of life, and a unique voice to each book seems right.
HI everyone! With my recent trip and life stuff I am a bit behind on this post. I want to thank everyone who participated in last months Word Shaker book discussion of The Help by Katherine Stockett. I had a lot of fun with that book and it was great to discuss it with all of you!
Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha’s courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.
Kathleen Kent is a tenth generation descendent of Martha Carrier. She paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England, but also of one family’s deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution.
If you have reviewed (or read) this book and want to join in the discussion please leave a comment below so I know to include you. If you would like to pick up the book and share in this discussion, please also let me know by leaving a comment below.
This On Line Book Club is open to bloggers and non bloggers alike – by leaving a comment here I will be able to email you a list of questions that as you finish up the book, answer and email back to me. Our discussion will go live the last Monday of December. That gives you a good 5+ weeks to read the book. Please invite others to join in by blogging of twittering about this!
*All active participants in the discussion will go into a drawing for a copy of our January read.
An eye opening read! A book not to sit on a shelf but to be passed on as it is meant to be read! ~ Sheila
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn’t stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an “excitement addict.” Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town — and the family — Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents’ betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
The book opened with this sentence: “I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster.”
Yowsa. I had to read it again. It didnt take long to root myself into this read that was the vision of dysfunctional right from the start. There are many times throughout the book that I wonder why didnt social services step in… why didnt anyone see this? I wonder now as people who knew this family as this was happening dnt see Jeanette’s book now and wonder the same thing themselves.
The funny thing is that time and again, people did try to act… and Jeanette’s dad will pull up the family and move – and her mother (and I use the term loosely) just thought life was an adventure and didnt really focus to much on anything that had to do with her children. Sorry- I am trying to stay even here but I really struggled with Jeanette’s mom.
In our Bookies Book Club discussion of this book this past week, we found the book to be so incredible that it had to be non fiction. If the book were fictitious no one would find it believable -it would be too over the top.
Jeanette Walls book is written well and Jeanette shares her life story in a matter of fact, occasionally humorous tone. I dont think I could have made my way through it is she would have written it as bitter and angry – it would have been too heavy.
My book club rated this book as a high 4 rating out of 5.
One of four siblings, Jeannette Walls was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1960. Her family lived in various southwestern towns before settling in Welch, West Virginia when she was ten. She moved to New York City at age 17 and graduated from Columbia University’s Barnard College with honors in 1984. She went on to become a reporter for New York magazine, Esquire and USA Today. She has appeared regularly on television, including the Today Show, CNN and Prime Time Live and is widely known as a former gossip columnist for MSNBC.com.
She currently lives in northern Virginia and is married to writer John Taylor. Her memoir, The Glass Castle (2005) was a New York Times bestseller with movie rights optioned by Paramount (but as of October 2009 there is no sign of the movie entering production). Her next book, Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel, was published in October 2009.
This book was purchased by me. I am an Amazon Affiliate and by clicking on the link to the books above, I will receive a small percentage of the sale should you make a purchase.
I would rate this book PG
This is the first book review of the new Word Shakers on line book club. I am so excited we were able to start with such a wonderful read.
Here are the discussion question as well as comments made from different members of this group.
1. Who was your favorite character? Why?
Across the board, all participating members in this discussion agreed that the favorite was Aibileen. Lisa from Lit and Life also thought maybe Skeeter as well as Skeeter was willing to stand up for herself no matter what the cost.
2. What do you think motivated Hilly? On the one hand she is terribly cruel to Aibileen and her own help, as well as to Skeeter once she realizes that she can’t control her. Yet she’s a wonderful mother. Do you think that one can be a good mother but, at the same time, a deeply flawed person?
Laurel from Laurel Rain Snow Reflections says that while Hilly was a good mom, her prejudices color her judgment. As Lisa states, Hilly is a product of her own upbringing.
3. Like Hilly, Skeeter’s mother is a prime example of someone deeply flawed yet somewhat sympathetic. She seems to care for Skeeter–and she also seems to have very real feelings for Constantine. Yet the ultimatum she gives to Constantine is untenable; and most of her interaction with Skeeter is critical. Do you think Skeeter’s mother is a sympathetic or unsympathetic character? Why?
Esme from Chocolates and Croissants describes Skeeter’s mom as sympathetic or possibly pathetic. She wants what she feels is best for her daughter and in her eyes that is marriage and a good solid one at that.
4. How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?
Julie of My Own Little Corner Of The World says that the times in which a person lives has a lot to do with their character. Look at todays teeenagers, theyw ould not have survived these times. Kids were more respectful and obedient of their parents. Laurel adds that it takes an exceptional person to move out of the mold of the world.
5. Did it bother you that Skeeter is willing to overlook so many of Stuart’s faults so that she can get married, and that it’s not until he literally gets up and walks away that the engagement falls apart?
Sheila (me) says yes, I dislike it when a woman undersetimates her worth to any man. I was thankful that in the end Skeeter held true to who she was. I think even Skeeter’s mom in the end started to see that her daughter really could take care of herself.
6. Do you believe that Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?
All agreed that due to the experiences that Minny had with white people, she had no reason to trust them.
7. Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent, or taught?
Taught! Sheila (me) thinks that Aibileen made a good effort to teach Mae Mobley about seeing people for who they are not for the color of their skin. Hopefully, we as the readers are left to believe that this will stick with Mae Mobley through the years.
8. From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of “beauty” changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what’s the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?
Julie: If I had to pick one I would say the tube of toohtpaste used to get rid of pimples as a teenager
Esme: For me, it was just getting the routine down as a teen – from showering to make up, etc…
Laurel: Sleeping with my head in those giant rollers!
Lisa: Well, it used to be perms and now it is straightening my hair on a daily basis
Sheila: Had to be the spiral perms that were all teh rage. It would take 4 hours in the salon to wrap my hair in those long twisty rods.
9. The author manages to paint Aibileen with a quiet grace and an aura of wisdom about her. How do you think she does this?
Julie: Aibileen’s character shows this in how she treats Mae Mobley…. patiently teaching.
Sheila: Maybe because she has helped raise 17 children she has learned to see what these children are not gettingfor their parents by being torn down so she has trained herself to build them up.
10. Do you think there are still vestiges of racism in relationships where people of color work for people who are white? Have you heard stories of parents who put away their valuable jewelry before their nanny comes? Paradoxically, they trust the person to look after their child but not their diamond rings?
Esme: Racism does still exist today, whether it is directed at a person of color, religion, or sexual beliefs. My favorite is when you are in a group and someone says something about a group they find out you are part of and then says, “Oh but not you…” The nanny example is great – they are good enough to be trusted with the child, but not the diamonds.
11. What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?
Sheila: Oh! I had to read that twice to make sure I got that right…. LOL. I cant imagine myself going that far, but Minny’s character? Absolutely!
Laurel: Probably not but I did get a chuckle out of it.
Lisa: Yuck! I was more than grossed out by the pie thing! Nope, I would not do such a thing.
Julie: Loved it! I don’t know if I would have been brave enough to do such a thing. It was very creative and I loves the :gotcha” feel to it. It made the book so much more effective for me.
12. Would you recommend this book to a friend?
Julie: I would – yes! It is the best book I have read in 2009 so far. I couldn’t put it down!
Esme: Definitely-this is a beautiful story about love, relationships, trust and life in the South in the early 60’s. While I was not old enough during that time to remember the problems nor did I live in the South I think the book has given an accurate description of how life was for blacks and whites. It describes the frustration of blacks, due to segregation, their hope they must have had in MLK and Kennedy and their aspiration for their children. For the women of the novel, their roles were very defined. To be a good mother and wife. You have women in the book that supposedly had a higher education yet they were content not to graduate and keep a nice home. Their beliefs in segregation were those that were defined for them by their society. They were quick to adopt these beliefs and not question them.
Lisa: I have already recommended this book to a lot of people. I think it is a wonderful look at a time and place.
Laurel: Yes! It was a book that spotlighted a time that I remember well, I did not (nor do I now) live in the South, I was part of the civil rights movement in the 60’s.
Sheila: Oh yeah! I have never read anything like this before and I really enjoyed it. This book is a keeper for me and I highly recommend it!
You can see members of the Word Shakers On Line Book Clubs Personal reviews on this book here:
My Own Little Corner Of The World
One Persons Journey Through A World of Books
Watch for the next Word Shakers book choice to be posted soon! All are welcome to join! See how here!
Have you read The Help? We would love for you to join in this discussion. What are your thoughts on any of the questions above?
Book Journey 